Customs seize 718 donkey skins in Adamawa, arrest 2 suspects
By Ahmed Ahmed
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘D’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a major breakthrough in its anti-smuggling drive with the seizure of 718 pieces of donkey skin in Mubi, Adamawa State.
Addressing journalists during a media briefing at the unit’s headquarters in Bauchi, the Comptroller of FOU Zone ‘D’, Abdullahi Shuaibu Ka’ila, said the seizure was carried out on December 26, 2025, following credible intelligence and coordinated enforcement actions by officers of the unit.
According to him, a vehicle conveying the illicit items was intercepted, leading to the arrest of two suspects, the driver and the owner of the goods.
Ka’ila noted that the operation aligns with the zero-tolerance policy on smuggling being pursued by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, particularly on the illegal trade in endangered species.
He explained that the trade and exportation of donkey skins are prohibited by Nigerian authorities, including the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).
He added that the seizure also reinforces Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), aimed at protecting vulnerable wildlife from exploitation through international trade.
The Comptroller disclosed that the cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized donkey skins is estimated at N24,313,217. He stressed that the suspects would be prosecuted in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, CITES protocols, and other relevant environmental laws.
Ka’ila warned smugglers and their sponsors to desist, emphasizing that illegal wildlife trafficking threatens biodiversity, undermines livelihoods, and amounts to economic sabotage.
He commended the support of the Customs management and sister security agencies, assuring Nigerians and the international community that Nigeria would not serve as a corridor for wildlife crime.
The FOU Zone D Bauchi comprises nine States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe , Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe
